A driverless shuttle bus in Florida was involved in a minor collision this week, just two days after its launch.
The SWAN Shuttle, short for Shuttling with Autonomous Navigation and powered by Beep technologies, was introduced by the city of Orlando as an alternative form of public transportation in the Creative Village area. The shuttle, which operates along a one-mile loop, aims to decrease the number of single-car users on the roads.
The SWAN Shuttle's launch was met with excitement and anticipation. The city of Orlando tweeted, "We're excited to reveal our SWAN Shuttle!" However, the enthusiasm was short-lived as the shuttle encountered a mishap on Tuesday. While attempting to make a right turn on Terry Avenue, the shuttle collided with a LYMMO bus, which was being driven by a human operator.
A passenger on the SWAN Shuttle captured the incident on video and shared it on TikTok. The video shows the shuttle failing to slow down or adjust its course as the LYMMO bus crossed its path. The passenger, identified as Sam Gallaher on social media, posted the video with the caption, "Tried out the new SWAN Shuttle autonomous shuttle in Downtown Orlando today. We crashed. #Beep." The video quickly gained popularity, amassing over 33,000 likes and numerous views.
Fortunately, no one was injured in the collision, and both vehicles sustained only minor cosmetic damage, according to WKMG. The incident did not disrupt service in the area, as LYMMO buses were on standby to fill in during the autonomous shuttle pilot plan. The SWAN Shuttle service resumed as planned later that day.
Beep technologies, the company behind the development of the SWAN Shuttle, has not yet provided a comment on the incident. The city of Orlando launched the shuttle as a trial run for the next six months, with the possibility of expanding the driverless shuttle service to other parts of the city if successful.
The collision raises questions about the safety and reliability of autonomous vehicles. While proponents argue that driverless technology has the potential to revolutionize transportation, incidents like this highlight the need for further testing and refinement. As reported by WKMG, the Orlando Police Department confirmed that there was no impact on service and that the SWAN Shuttle would continue to operate along its route as scheduled.
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